SOC 11-3121

Human Resources Managers Salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + CO
COL Index: 137.11 (+37.1% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 66.6% Realized
$113,878 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $170,940 $82.18/hr
Effective Tax Drag 27.38% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$46,806 $1,800.22/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $82.18 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$10,256/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$2,462/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$27,298
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$10,598
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$2,479
Colorado Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$6,362
Denver Occupational Privilege Tax
LOCAL
-$69
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$113,878 ($4,379.92 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Human Resources Managers Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $170,940
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $110k 25th $138k Median: $170,940 50th (Median) $171k 75th $211k 90th $278k You: $170,940
10th (Entry) $109,540 $52.66/hr
25th (Junior) $137,500 $66.11/hr
50th (Median) $170,940 $82.18/hr
75th (Senior) $210,620 $101.26/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $277,530 $133.43/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Human Resources Managers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
1
HR GeneralistBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$100,998$48.56/hr · 0-2 Years
2
HR Business PartnerDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities; SHRM-SCP or SPHR certification
$127,220$61.16/hr · 2-5 Years
3
HR ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$170,963$82.19/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Senior HR ManagerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$228,218$109.72/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Director of HR / CHROExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$306,657$147.43/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO medianView National Human Resources Managers Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists+$44,670/yr
National median: $193,950
Skill overlap: 93%
Management Analysts-$47,420/yr
National median: $101,860
Skill overlap: 92%View Salary
Human Resources Specialists-$73,340/yr
National median: $75,940
Skill overlap: 88%
Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping-$98,670/yr
National median: $50,610
Skill overlap: 81%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
19% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,831/month Requires minimum annual gross of $73,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,169/month Requires minimum annual gross of $86,760
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $30.32/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $28.13/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$170,940-$46,806$113,878$4,379.92
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$202,991-$56,694$134,117$5,158.36
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$235,043-$66,249$154,691$5,949.64
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$267,094-$77,969$173,099$6,657.65
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$299,145-$89,955$191,241$7,355.43
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Human Resources Managers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Colorado tax codes.

Market Baseline
$170,940/yr
$82.18/hr · SOC 11-3121
Statutory Tax Drag
27.38% Effective
-$46,806 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
19% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$7,659/mo
Post-$1,831/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 11-3121
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Human Resources Managers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: Market Snapshot

Human Resources Managers roles in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO report a median annual wage of $170,940, 14.5% above the national median of $149,280. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $109,540 to $277,530, and HUD’s $1,831 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 12.9% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $30.32 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Human Resources Managers

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$220,460+29.0%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$209,340+22.5%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$191,190+11.8%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$185,100+8.3%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$184,990+8.2%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$177,960+4.1%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$171,360+0.2%
Midland, MI$170,710-0.1%
Boulder, CO$169,000-1.1%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$168,400-1.5%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Computer and Information Systems Managers$203,340$97.76/hr
Financial Manager$193,400$92.98/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$191,440$92.04/hr
Marketing Managers$182,470$87.73/hr
Sales Managers$181,580$87.30/hr
Purchasing Managers$180,000$86.54/hr
Public Relations Managers$174,260$83.78/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$168,850$81.18/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$165,000$79.33/hr
Administrative Services Managers$164,240$78.96/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 358 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Human Resources Managers Salary in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Overview

Human Resources Managers median pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $170,940 a year ($82.18/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Human Resources Managers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Human Resources Managers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?

The median annual wage is $170,940 ($82.18 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $109,540 and $277,530. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Human Resources Managers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO after taxes?

On the median wage of $170,940, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $121,222 a year ($10,102 a month) after $49,718 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 29.09%, using 2026 tax rules.